During a time of unprecedented change, Woods Bagot is taking digital delivery and communication to the next level. Though some changes will take time, “practice begets creativity,” says the firm’s Alastair Flynn.
When it comes to thinking differently in the times of a crisis, Alastair Flynn, senior associate at Woods Bagot says, the ‘thinking’ part remains consistent.
“Architects are no strangers to abstract thought because we’re constantly projecting ourselves into a building that doesn’t exist yet – imagining and problem solving pre-emptively. Now, I’m leaning into living in my head and honing my communication skills so that my team can ‘see’ what I see.
“Contrary to the idea of an architect as a solitary figure thinking and drawing alone, design delivery is all about communication – it’s all writing and talking,” Flynn adds.
“When it comes to leading project delivery without access to site, it’s too early to measure the change. Working onsite is 10 per cent seeing and 90 per cent communication – so video chats are helping fill in the gap of information and I’m not experiencing any delay.”
Flynn’s colleague, principal and laboratory design director Leslie Ashor, is developing a creative methodology to continue stakeholder engagement via video conferencing. This means “finding new ways to take people on our journey, and to ensure everyone has a voice, which is hard when you are not in the same room to ‘read’ emotions.”
For Ashor, the silver lining comes with “the fact that clients are now recognising we can get our work done without face to face meetings. It means I can spend more time working and with family, and less time flying around.”
For associate principal Edwina Bennett the element of work remains the same. Woods Bagot is already equipped to work regionally and across the globe, she says, so the transition to remote work hasn’t been disruptive. The new environment, however, “means that we are all hyper-available,” so Bennett is thinking differently about communication in order to appreciate and respect personal time.
A virtual connection can bring efficiency into the project delivery space, something Woods Bagot is already achieving on the first stage of Adelaide’s new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, “We’ve already identified and eliminated risks for a steady and streamlined way forward,” Bennett says.
Bennett expects to see enhanced collaboration across the industry as “technology advanced workplaces take a massive jump”.
Bennett sees the light at the other end of the dark times. “While we’ve been at home, the air pollution over China has decreased dramatically and the canals in Venice are running clear – a silver lining that proves it is possible cut emissions and begin to make positive changes in how we treat the world.”
Woods Bagot is a global studio operating from 17 major cities around the world. CEO Nik Karalis (pictured top), who is based in New York, ascribes the agility of the firm to mobilise all its people to remote working to a supportive culture.“Technology has made this transition possible but underpinning everything we do is our belief in people first – management styles, communication approaches, late nights, early mornings, knowledge platforms, mobility plans, a matrix organisational structure, bonus systems and financial structures,” Karalis says.
“Nearly every aspect of our business ensures we support each other and no one lets anyone down. We’re physically remote, but creatively and collaboratively connected.”